UCLA joins the National Comprehensive Cancer Network to advance patient care, research and education

The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has joined the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®). NCCN is an alliance of 30 top academic cancer centers in the United States devoted to patient care, research, and education.

The NCCN Board of Directors elected UCLA to institutional membership in NCCN because of its stature as a cancer center, and in recognition of its role in advancing innovative research that improves cancer care and reduces disparities. UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center leadership will now be involved in the ongoing development of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®). These guidelines are the recognized standard for clinical direction in cancer management.

“We are honored and thrilled to become a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network,” said Michael Teitell, MD, PhD, Director, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We look forward to joining our peer institutions and bringing our focus on cutting-edge research and top-quality cancer care to this association of the nation’s top cancer centers.”

In 2019 alone, more than 1,500 experts from NCCN Member Institutions contributed a combined 35,000-plus hours to create and update NCCN Guidelines. These guidelines provide the latest evidence- and expert consensus-based recommendations applying to 97 percent of cancers affecting patients in the United States and also include prevention, screening, and supportive care topics.

UCLA’s cancer center was first designated comprehensive by the National Cancer Institute in 1976. UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has since held this designation because of its transdisciplinary and state-of-the-art research focused on developing new and better approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer. In the last five years alone, UCLA has had 11 therapies developed through research conducted in its labs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. UCLA also is ranked one of the nation’s “Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

“We are very excited to incorporate the significant medical and scientific expertise from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center into our network of top academic cancer centers,” said Robert W. Carlson, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “UCLA has a proven track record when it comes to improving outcomes and quality-of-life for people with cancer. Their facility includes top-notch programs throughout the spectrum of cancer management, including pediatric oncology, genetics, immunotherapy, telemedicine, and other increasingly-important areas of interest for NCCN and the greater cancer care community. They serve diverse, growing populations with strong immigrant representation at a time when the global need for NCCN Guidelines is higher than ever. The multi-disciplinary experts at UCLA are among the best in the world, and the center is ranked very highly by U.S. News & World Report. We are happy to have them work with us to improve and facilitate quality, effective, efficient, and accessible cancer care so patients can live better lives.”